Former Bank Teller Convicted

Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that on January 16, 2013, a federal jury in Albany, Georgia, convicted defendant Victoria Metz, a former bank teller and a resident of Albany, Georgia, of 16 felony offenses.  After a two day trial, the jury convicted defendant Metz of ten (10) counts of Embezzlement of Government Property in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 641 & 2 and six (6) counts of Aggravated Identity Theft in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1028A and 2.  Metz was acquitted of four (4) counts of Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 13, 14, 15 and 17).  United States District Court Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the trial.

The government’s evidence at trial showed that Metz, a former teller at Colony Bank in Leesburg, Georgia, knowingly cashed 23 stolen United States Treasury checks, all IRS refund checks of tax payers which bore the forged endorsements of the payees.  Metz received the checks from a third party. On three occasions, Metz received $600 to $1,000 from the third party for her actions.  Ms. Metz will be sentenced in approximately two months at a date scheduled by the Court.

“We take financial crimes and identity theft seriously, and will pursue individuals who attempt to profit from these schemes with the full resources of this office, said U.S. Attorney Moore.”

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service andAssistant United States Attorney Jim Crane handled the prosecution. 

For additional information, please contact Sue McKinney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, at 478-621-2602.